Vegetius Renatus, Publius Flavius (Late 4th Century) De

Vegetius Renatus, Publius Flavius (Late 4th Century)

De Re Militari Libri Quatuor. Paris: Christian Wechel, 1534.Folio, printer's device on title, large woodcut on verso of title, illustrated with numerous full-paged woodcuts, ruled in red throughout; bound in an ornate faux renaissance binding by Théodore [aka Louis] Hagué (1822-1891), with multi-color onlaid leather, intricate interweaving plant forms, flowers, stylized dolphins, and raised gesso fleur-de-lys, among other motifs, with cast corner-pieces, bosses, catches and clasps, edges gilt, painted, and gauffered, front board detached, leather somewhat dry and flaking in places, one clasp extension cracked, all pieces present; very good impressions of the woodcuts, 12 1/4 x 8 in."Théodore Hagué (1822-1891), also known as Louis, is perhaps the most notorious forger of fine early modern bindings. He worked for a time at the London bookbinding firm of Zaehnsdorf’s, as well as privately for the Duke d’Aumale, restoring his library. By the early 1860s, then living in Brussels, it apparently occurred to him to try his skills against the ultimate test: attempt to pass his bindings off as authentic." (For more, cf. Elizabeth DeBold's article in The Collation, "Under Cover: Forged Bindings on Display at the Folger," July 19, 2018; https://collation.folger.edu/2018/07/forged-bindings/)Provenance: from the Stephen White Collection.